


Dirty Little Secret

by iamisaac



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Al is a little bit scary, Blow Jobs, Established Relationship, M/M, Semi-Public Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-03
Updated: 2016-05-03
Packaged: 2018-06-06 04:05:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6737521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamisaac/pseuds/iamisaac
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Teddy and James's relationship has been a secret for two long years, and it's best kept that way, at least in Teddy's opinion. But sometimes, you don't get the choice...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dirty Little Secret

“Hey, Auror Lupin. Fancy seeing you here.” James grins, sauntering over.

They've escaped from the family dinner (with added Scorpius Malfoy, because it's been years since Al was ever anywhere without his best friend and alter ego). Teddy first – he suspects Harry and Ginny think he smoke, the amount of excuses he makes to go away, but it's quite a different addiction, and probably considerably less welcome to them. James, he knows, was intending to excuse himself by offering for washing up duties: Teddy and he organised the spells to make the dishes do themselves earlier this morning, so all James will have needed to do is trigger them. Which should give them time to themselves. Much needed – very much desired, at least on Teddy's behalf – time to themselves. And from the way James was fellating his ice cream spoon at dinner, his mind has been on other things, too.

“Couldn't possibly be because you arranged to meet me here, could it?” Teddy asks dryly.

“You came, though.” James strikes a dramatic pose. “Didn't realise you loved me so much.”

Teddy's heart gives an uncomfortable thump, but he says casually, “Yes, you did. And, by the way, I swear to god you don't eat ice cream like that normally.”

A smirk crosses James's face. “I do when you're watching. Especially when you're watching like that.”

Teddy blushes. _Subtle, Lupin._ “Cocktease,” he accuses.

“Not if I intend to follow through,” purrs James.

He looks up at Teddy under lowered lashes. He doesn't have so far to look any more. Time was, Teddy was masses taller than him. Two years later, James has had a growth spurt and there's only an inch or two between them. James has grown into his body, and fuck, does it suit him. He was handsome enough at 16, even as Teddy knew he shouldn't be thinking it. Now 18, and about to be the Tornados' new Chaser, he's fitter than ever. According to everyone else, he knows it, too. James is never subtle, and always full of swaggering confidence. Only Teddy knows how much of that's an act.

“We're in your parents' garden,” Teddy points out, trying to keep his brain in his head and not lower down his body, tempting though it is. “They don't even know we're together. The last thing we need is them walking in on...” He cuts off. It's too arousing even thinking about it. Start saying the words and he might not be able to control himself. This is what Jamie does to him.

“We could just tell them,” James says, not for the first time.

“James,” Teddy sighs. 

Because they've talked about this, over and over. James was a schoolkid at first, and there was no way his family were ever going to be okay about them then. But even now, he's about to start a Quidditch career. The last thing he needs on top of the burden (because it is a burden, no matter what people think) of the Potter name is to be outed as gay. And however much James says they could keep it in the family, these things get round. Plus... Teddy knows damn well that Harry and Ginny would have his balls if he told them, and Teddy's quite fond of that part of his anatomy. Anyway, James is going to find someone else any minute, there's no point in causing ructions in the family just for – this.

“I take it that's a 'no'.”

“You know it is. And you know why.”

Teddy doesn't look at James as he says this. There's always an expression on his face, just for a second, that does something weird to Teddy inside. He doesn't like seeing James look like that, and the easiest thing is just – well, not to look. But James is speaking again, dismissing it as if it doesn't matter.

“Well, in that case, still no need to worry. We're safe,” James says cheerfully. “Mum and Dad are too busy holding hands and telling each other how nice it is to be together surrounded by all of their family. Al and Scorpius are too busy holding hands and telling each other how nice it is to be together _even though_ they're surrounded by all of the family -”

“Jamie,” Teddy warns.

James chuckles. “Okay, maybe they're not holding hands, exactly – though I think my idiot brother just ought to do it some day and see what happens – but the rest is true. And Lily is busy sitting on the other side of Scorpius, clearly wanting to hold his hand and tell him how nice it is to be together.”

“Yes, I've been ousted,” Teddy agrees, mock-mournfully. He used to be Lily's favourite person, but for the last six months she has been mooning after Scorpius in quite embarrassing fashion. Bless her. She'll learn to be more subtle in the end, but it hasn't happened yet.

“Console yourself you still have one Potter who wants to hold your hand,” James says. He gives Teddy a heated gaze. “And a hell of a lot more than that,” he adds. “C'me on, even if they did leave the table, they'd go into the house, not round by the broom shed, you know that. That's why I suggested here.” 

He leans in and kisses Teddy hard, and Teddy can do nothing else but respond, pulling James close and possessing his mouth. And then suddenly James is pressed up against Teddy, murmuring “Please... please...” against his mouth, and fuck, it turns Teddy on, the way James will just fall apart for him, even now, after two years together. Then again, is Teddy any better? He only has to see James to want him. But not just that, to want to be with him – listen to him making his ridiculous comments about his family, laugh at his dreadful jokes and put-on self-confidence, bask in the warmth of his friendship.

“We shouldn't,” Teddy demurs, unconvincingly.

“Mmm, 'shouldn't,'” James says, kissing his neck; rocking up against him and rubbing his hard erection against Teddy's thigh. “You always do know how to turn me on. One of my favourite words – 'shouldn't'.”

“God, you're...” Teddy's hands are on James's arse, pulling him round so that James can feel how hard Teddy is for him. And James moans – moans.

“Please, Teddy, let me suck you,” he begs, placing biting kisses down Teddy's jawline; licking up to his ear and biting gently on the lobe. “Merlin, please, I want you so much.”

As if going down on Teddy is a favour Teddy grants him. Fuck, James is too hot to resist. He's always been too hot to resist. That's both the trouble and the joy.

“Yes,” he says, availing himself of James's wicked mouth one last time for another lingering kiss before James puts it to use elsewhere.

Then James is on his knees in front of Teddy, and it is Teddy's turn to groan as James's fingers work on his trousers, and he finds his erection engulfed for a second between James's warm lips. James, though, James is still whispering words as he kisses up and down, licking the sides.

“Love you like this, love your cock, Teddy... God, I want you, fuck.” Then just “Ohhhhhh,” as he takes Teddy fully into his mouth, swallowing him up. 

One hand is between James's own legs, the other cups Teddy's bollocks, rolling them, touching them, until Teddy is gasping between that and the suck, the pull of James's mouth on his cock. James is whimpering with need, and Teddy grasps his hair, listening to the noise of agreement James makes as he does so, revelling in the way James sits there and lets – no, _encourages_ Teddy to fuck his mouth, his own arousal clear just from sucking Teddy off. Teddy can't help himself, given the offer; he's thrusting his hips, pulling James back and forth like a toy, until his orgasm rips through him. And James kneels there between his legs, taking it all, swallowing and moaning like this is the best thing he could be doing.

Teddy is still leaning back against the wall recovering himself after the ministrations of James's sinfully talented mouth when Al turns the corner and ambles their way. James, thankfully, has got to his feet and is looking much as normal, though Teddy notices him casting a subtle cleaning charm. James really does love sucking cock – at least, sucking Teddy's cock.

Teddy raises an eyebrow at James at the sight of Al. “Thought you said we were safe from interruptions?” he murmurs.

“We were... just.” James grins, leaning back next to him and stretching loose limbs out in front of him. Teddy, not for the first time, thinks how dangerously attractive the younger man is – all Quidditch-toned muscles and handsome features. 

“Hmm,” says Teddy; but he can't regret letting James talk him into it.

“Hey, gay boy,” James hails Al, his hands dug deep into his pockets. “I'm amazed you dare leave your boyfriend alone for a second, the way Lily's flirting with him.”

Teddy takes a moment to admire the cojones of James to refer to Al in this way. James, whom Teddy has had begging - _begging_ \- for his cock in any way he can get it, times out of mind. James, who five minutes ago was on his knees, moaning with pleasure as Teddy's come poured down his throat and he sucked up every last bit he could manage.

Al walks nearer, then stops, arms folded, to give his brother the glower he reserves specially for him – a mixture of irritation and vaguely amused resignation. “Fuck off, James.” (Teddy can feel James almost itching to tell Al he just did. He knows James too well.) “One, Scorpius is not my boyfriend, and he's free to flirt with who the hell he likes, even if he's got more sense to do so with Lil. Two, as you very well know, I'm not gay.” 

James winces reflexively at that. As Head Boy of Hogwarts last year, he confessed to Teddy that probably his least favourite part of the job had been the regular deduction of points from Hufflepuff after finding Al in compromising positions and state of undress around the school with a variety of different girls.

“Everyone with a pulse fancies Scorpius,” Al continues, with dignity. “I've explained this to him. He quite understands.”

Teddy suppresses a grin at Al's last three words. If one thing is sure, it is that Scorpius Malfoy doesn't lack self-esteem. Teddy can easily visualise Al informing the other young man that everyone is attracted to him, and Scorpius taking this as his due. And, to be fair, it's not entirely without accuracy. Malfoy is indeed bloody good looking. But Teddy's attraction is to fire, not ice: James, not Scorpius. That, however, is something Al wouldn't understand. At least, Teddy fervently hopes not.

Teddy's grin fades as Al continues: “Well, everyone but you, anyway, Jamie. And that's only because you're just hung up on this woman of yours.”

If Teddy didn't know James so well, he wouldn't have noticed James's slight twitch at Al's comment. Which, well he might twitch. Way for Teddy to discover that James is cheating on him.

“Shut up, Al,” James shoots back quickly, his eyes flicking sideways to Teddy. Not quickly enough, though: the damage is done.

“I take it you haven't told Teddy about her,” Al says. “Probably because you know he'd say the same thing as me.”

“No,” says Teddy slowly, “he hasn't.”

“It's not important,” James says, through gritted teeth. “Al, shut up.”

“No,” says Al, with heavily laden sarcasm, “it's not important at all.” He looks at Teddy. “Only that James has been pining over this mystery woman for, like, forever.” 

Teddy has always known that something like this would happen. James is too young for him, after all. That's another one of the reasons that Teddy's always refused to tell anyone. He's surprised how much – how fucking much – it hurts, though. Like someone has skewered him all the way through the heart. And a woman – well, a girl, presumably. Someone James's age. _That's_ a shock, that she's female. Teddy had honestly thought James was gay to the core.

“She doesn't deserve him,” Al goes on, sounding suddenly angry. James reaches out a hand as if to try and physically stop Al from continuing, but Teddy pins him with a glance, and James's hand drops away. If James has some girl stashed away somewhere, the least Teddy deserves is to know about it. “She's not in Hogwarts, won't even admit to knowing him. Makes him run around meeting her in secret like he's not good enough for her.”

“Al, you _promised_ ,” James whispers desperately.

“Clearly, I lied. That was six months ago when you finally told me about her. But you've left school now, and she still won't acknowledge you?” Al's voice sounds unnaturally loud next to James's whisper. “I know you won't listen to me – I'm only your little brother – but maybe you'll listen to Teddy telling you that she's jerking you around. You deserve better than to be treated like someone's dirty secret, James.” Al turns back to Teddy. “Two years, he's been seeing her. Two fucking years, and she still won't let him tell anyone. Even I don't know who she is, and believe me, I can get James to tell me most things. In the end.” A horrible feeling is beginning to flow over Teddy. He looks over at James, who has a frozen expression on his face and is looking anywhere but at Teddy. “Tell him, Teddy,” Al pleads. “Tell him he deserves better than...” He cuts off suddenly. “Oh,” he says, his voice dropping, his eyes going between Teddy and James in a mixture of disbelief and shocked certainty. “Oh, no. You have got to be fucking kidding me.” 

James slides down the wall until he is sitting against it. He says nothing. 

Al glares at Teddy with furious green eyes. “You. You're Jamie's mystery woman.”

“I'm not a -” Teddy starts uncertainly. But he knows, and Al knows, that it's true. That Al has just described Teddy and James's relationship to a T. (And followed it up to an e-d-d-y.) And it doesn't look pretty, not the way Al's just put it.

“I know you're not a bloody woman,” Al says bitterly, “and believe me, I'll be having words with James about this 'gay boy' stuff he's been throwing at me forever, but so help me, give me one good fucking reason not to hex you right now.” 

He's drawn his wand, unbelievably, and is pointing it at Teddy. James's head is on his knees, and he's still not saying anything, which is very un-James-like.

“I...”

Teddy has heard that Al has a temper, but he's never been on the receiving end before. He's eight years older and six inches taller than Al – but Al's fury is coming off him in waves, and the kid has abnormally strong magic. Teddy can actually feel it surrounding him. Within three seconds, he's got Teddy pushed back against the wall, his wand at his throat.

“One fucking reason, Teddy Lupin.”

“Al, don't. Please,” James says, his voice muffled.

“This... this _git_ has been treating you like shit for two years, James. And getting away with it just because you're in love with him.” 

James curls up tighter at that last sentence, but he doesn't deny it. And suddenly Teddy knows beyond doubt it's true. Why else would James have put up with... yes, okay, all the crap Teddy has put him through?

“James,” Teddy says softly.

A few sparks fly from the end of Al's wand. Teddy isn't sure whether Al intended it or not, but either way he feels the heat against his skin, and tries not to wince. “Don't you dare speak to my brother,” Al hisses. “Not until you go and man up and tell the family you're seeing him. What, he's okay to fuck as long as no one knows about it? Because he'll come when you whistle, you get to treat him like some kind of pet? No,” he corrects himself, “not even a pet – you have to take some responsibility for pets. A slave.” He swallows. “D'you know, I got Sorted into Hufflepuff because of you? I thought you were great, so the Hat offers me Slytherin or Hufflepuff and I think 'Oh, no, not Slytherin. I want to be in Hufflepuff like Teddy was, because he's so loyal and nice and an all round decent guy.'” He laughs bitterly. “Loyal. Some fucking loyalty.”

“Al, you're humiliating me,” James pleads, sounding more vulnerable than Teddy's ever heard him.

“No,” Al corrects him fiercely. “That's what this worthless piece of shit has been doing to you for two years, Jamie. Telling you you aren't good enough. Telling you you don't deserve any better than this.”

“It wasn't – it isn't like that,” Teddy says, trying cautiously to get Al to lower his wand.

“Damn right it isn't,” Al snarls back, gripping his wand tighter until Teddy's worried he'll snap it. Possibly against Teddy's throat, and fuck knows what sort of magic Al would accidentally set off in that situation. Teddy really doesn't want to find out. “Jamie's worth ten of you.”

“Yes. Probably,” acknowledges Teddy. “I'm not... it's not that he's not good enough.”

Al's wand twitches the tiniest bit. In a work situation, Teddy would have taken advantage of that to disarm him, but he's not sure he's earned the right to disarm Al right now. He has a horrible feeling that he deserves to be stuck up against a wall, being threatened by a schoolkid.

“Oka-ay,” Al says slowly. 

He glances dubiously down at James. Teddy follows his gaze, and sees that James's shoulders are shaking. Teddy's not sure he's ever seen James cry, ever. Al, yes – Al's emotions are usually easy to read: he wears them on the surface, just as he's doing now. James, though. James wears a cloak of apparent arrogance and confidence, a calm, smooth exterior where he treats everything as a faint joke put on for his personal amusement. It's James's way of feeling safe, Teddy realises; keeping everyone and everything at a distance. On the occasions on which James's mask has slipped – when he's asked Teddy to let him tell his parents, or when they were first going out and he begged Teddy to fuck him – he's always brought it back again quickly enough. When Teddy's said no, he doesn't think it's a good idea, James has had a look, just for a second, of desolation in his eyes (and how come Teddy _knows_ this and yet has never thought about it before?) before shrugging it off with a flippant comment. _You just can't bear to share me_ or _Scared you'll disappoint me, Lupin?_

“It's never been that, James,” Teddy says; and that is enough to bring Al's wrath back upon him.

“What did I say about speaking to James?”

“Al...” But the word from James is so choked that Teddy can't blame Al for ignoring him.

There is a pregnant silence where Al glares at Teddy, and James just sits in that crumpled heap.

“Just...” Al says at last, lowering his wand, “go away. Get out of my sight before I do something Jamie won't forgive me for.” He gives a tight smile. “Or that will bring back the 'no underage magic out of Hogwarts' legislation, which no one at school will forgive me for.” He goes to move away, but looks back at Teddy one last time. “If you actually give a damn about James, you'll go and fight for him. Tell them. Stop treating him like he's dirt. Now, fuck off.”

“James?” Teddy says one more time, despite Al, who is sliding down beside his brother, an arm already around his shoulders.

James's voice is shaky. “Go away, Teddy.”

And that's the first time ever, in his life, that James has said that to Teddy. He always, always, wants him around. Teddy closes his eyes for a second, and walks away.

Alone, he stops and takes a few deep breaths. The worst thing is knowing Al is right. Teddy's been treating James despicably. And had had every intention of continuing to do so, even though James is out of school and every single one of Teddy's reasons (read: excuses) for keeping their relationship secret has now been squashed. The Quidditch thing? How useful, but not true. There have been gay Quidditch players before, and there's no reason why the public has to know, just because they tell James's family. It's just that Teddy hasn't wanted to do it. Hasn't wanted to risk it. No wonder Al's furious with him. 

No. The worst thing is not that Al is right. The worst thing is James crying. James. Crying.

Teddy feels his heart beating faster and realises he's going to do it. He's actually going to do it, take Al's strongly worded 'advice'. Do what James has been asking him to do for years now. Tell the people who ought to know about their relationship. And he's going to start now, with Ginny and Harry, which is bloody terrifying, but if Teddy's old enough to be fucking their son, he's old enough to tell them about it. Al's words keep going through his head. _If you actually give a damn about James, you'll go and fight for him._

_If you actually give a damn about James, you'll go and fight for him._

And so this is Teddy Lupin, going out to fight for James Potter. He lifts his head high, and makes his way towards the table. As he strides up to the group, however, it's not Al's anger which is driving him but the vision of James, slumped on the floor with his head buried deep against his knees. And Teddy did that to him. Oh, okay, it was Al who brought it to a head with his indiscreet comments, but the basic facts Al has just thrown at him were true. Teddy _has_ been treating James like a shameful secret. He's not meant it that way – it's himself he's been ashamed of. Dating a schoolkid when you're in your 20s? How has Teddy been supposed to defend that?

Sure, James had technically been over the age of sexual consent when they started dating – 16 to Teddy's 22, but still. 'The Auror And The Schoolboy'. The papers could have had a field day with that if they'd found out, especially considering the schoolboy in question was Harry Potter's son. Oh, and the Auror his godson – and the son of a werewolf, which has brought enough prejudice in Teddy's life as it is. But Teddy knows, really, it's Harry and Ginny's wrath he's dreaded even more. It had been terrifying enough coming out to Harry when Teddy was 20. Telling him he'd started up a relationship with his underage son (it might not make sense that you could legally have sex at 16 but not be considered an adult until 17, but that's life)... okay, brave Auror Teddy hadn't had the guts. And then, even when James turned 17, there had still been the whole 'still at school' thing. And then they'd got into the habit, and it has just been easier to keep on lying, keep on sneaking around.

Teddy suddenly hates himself a little bit. _It has just been easier._ Because that's the real truth of it, isn't it? It's been easier not to say anything. Not to rock the boat. Not to risk a big argument and people being angry and disappointed with Teddy. And at what cost? Hardly anything. Only James's self-esteem. Only at the cost of making Teddy's boyfriend feel like Teddy's ashamed of him, that James isn't good enough for Teddy. Hardly any cost at all, really. Teddy has never quite realised what a bastard he is, which is what leads him to walk firmly up to the table and say with such force,

“I'm dating your son.”

He looks at Ginny, and then at Harry, with defiance. But they're not the only ones to react. Lily squeals with undisguised pleasure... and Scorpius Malfoy, Teddy notices vaguely, stiffens up and half-rises to his feet. Teddy's not quite sure what's got _his_ knickers in a twist until he realises that he hasn't mentioned which son he means. But that's an interesting fact for another time – Teddy's attention is centred on James's parents.

“What?” Harry asks.

“What do you mean by that?” Ginny demands, considerably louder.

In for a knut, in for a galleon. Teddy can hear the blood rushing in his ears, as he takes a deep breath.

“James. We're together. And just to be quite clear about this, I'm not asking your permission. I'm informing you. And I'm not apologising for it.”

He is sweating. He wonders whether they can all see. Scorpius has relaxed back into his chair. Teddy waits for the storm to break over him. It duly does.

“Do you mean... as of now?” Harry asks, a slight frown on his face. “Is that what you've been doing – asking him out, or whatever the current terminology is?”

Teddy flushes, remembering what rather less innocent behaviour he and James have actually been engaging in. “N-no.” Fuck's sake, he's twenty-four. He doesn't need to stammer like a boy. But this is going to be the difficult bit. “Quite a lot longer, actually.”

“How much longer?”

Harry might be one of the most powerful wizards in the world, but Aunt Ginny (she might not be his real aunt, but Teddy's been thinking of her as Auntie Ginny all his life) is ten times scarier than he is when it comes to anything about her children. Fuck.

“Two years,” he mutters.

“ _What_?” Ginny's voice is furious.

His eyes are on the tabletop, so he feels rather than sees the moment that Harry stops his wife from cursing him. So, that's two Potters who have bloody nearly hexed him in the last half an hour. 

“I can't believe you didn't tell me,” Lily says, sounding so terribly hurt that it's almost as bad as Ginny's anger.

“We didn't tell anyone,” Teddy says. “And before you say anything, that's my fault too. James wanted to tell you.”

“Teddy,” Harry begins, but Ginny cuts across him.

“So you've been taking advantage of my son for two years and refusing to let him tell his family, and you think we should be all right with that?” she demands.

Teddy flinches. He hopes it isn't visible. “No,” he says softly, “I don't think you should be. That, I do apologise for. But -” Ginny has started to speak, but Harry has a hand on her arm, and she is silenced. “But James... I... I love him” - the words are unexpected even to him; he's never even mentioned the 'l' word to Jamie, and here he is announcing it to James's family (and to Scorpius Malfoy, who is sitting more like an iceberg than ever in his seat since his giveaway moment early on; Teddy wonders whether anyone but him noticed that) like it's a matter of general fact - “and I'm not going to stop being with him, no matter what you say... no matter what anyone says, except James.”

“You – love him?” Ginny asks, her voice unexpectedly gentle. Teddy remembers that rumour says she fell for Harry when she was ten years old: maybe the age thing isn't such a major factor for her as he's always thought thought it would be.

“Yes,” says Teddy simply, realising how true it is. 

Merlin knows James has no reason to think it of him, not the way Teddy's expected him just to bend to his bidding, to be there when Teddy asks and not embarrass him by demanding more when he doesn't. But it's true. He needs James. Probably more than James needs him, which ironically is probably why he couldn't let James tell anyone. The moment Teddy started believing, started hoping this was a real thing, not just a passing phase – not just James trying out the 'gay' thing with the safest nearest person – was the moment he'd set himself up to get hurt, badly. God, Teddy's so stupid: he's been setting himself up to be hurt since the moment he first fell in love with James, and he doesn't even know how many years ago that was. More than it's safe to acknowledge, quite likely.

“So much,” he adds, his voice cracking. His fingers trace a pattern on the table, and Ginny puts a small hand over them. He forgets how small she is, sometimes. She seems bigger.

“Does he know?” she asks.

“No,” Teddy admits.

“Do you mean it?” she asks next.

“Yes.”

“If you hurt him, I will make you regret it for the rest of your life.”

“Gin...” Harry starts. Then, “Though, actually, not that she's wrong,” he adds, his force of will so determined that Teddy is positively constrained to look and meet his eye.

“Um,” Teddy admits, “I think Al might beat you to it.”

Scorpius twitches a little bit, and Teddy takes the opportunity to give him a meaning look. Teddy's fucked it up for long enough; Malfoy doesn't need to do the same with _his_ Potter. They're some sort of cousins, Teddy and Scorpius – closer by blood than either are to the Potters, in fact. Apparently, they share the same sort of cowardice when it comes to telling their blokes how they feel about them. But maybe Scorpius can learn from Teddy's idiocy.

Al's parents smile at this. “He's a good boy,” says Harry fondly.

“He's...” Teddy cuts off. They're right, even if he could have done without Al's particular brand of 'goodness'. He drops his head. “Yeah. Look, I need to go and talk to James. If I turn my back, will anyone hex me?”

“Not this time.” Harry's voice is amused.

“Don't think we're pleased, though,” says Ginny, warningly. “I'm furious with you.”

“And you don't want to make Ginny furious,” Harry adds, in the tone of someone who knows. 

Lily giggles, and Ginny slaps her husband. And that's just for saying something she doesn't appreciate, not for fucking her oldest son in secret. Teddy's quite surprised he still owns all his original parts.

“Yes.” Teddy looks at Ginny. “Ginny... Harry... I'm sorry. For not telling you. For not letting James tell you, more than anything. I don't deserve this, but -”

“No, you don't,” says Ginny firmly. “But James has been...” She stops, as if she's worried she will give away motherly secrets. She glares, hard. “Be good to him, Teddy.” 

Al might look like his father, Teddy thinks, but he's not too different to his mother. He nods.

“I'll try. I promise.”

As he backs off, still cautious about turning away from them, no matter that it went much better than he'd hoped, he bites his lip. He's done his duty with Harry and Ginny, but there's someone else who matters more. A hell of a lot more. And if he doesn't realise that – and he probably doesn't, the way Teddy's been going on – it's about time he did. Teddy's never felt so nervous about seeing James in his life – never.

When he gets back round by the broom shed, it's like little has changed. James is still slumped on the floor; he doesn't seem to be crying any more, but that's hardly enough to be thrilled about, considering Teddy's never seen him cry at all before. Al is still beside him, still talking to him in a quiet voice. His whole body tenses when he sees Teddy, and Teddy can hardly blame him, but the conversation he wants to have with James isn't one that needs to be done with an audience, not even Al. Besides, if he has any sense, there is someone else who is going to want to be talking to Al. 

“Hop it,” Teddy says to Al quietly.

Al meets his gaze. Disconcertingly – Teddy was anticipating another argument – he just nods and gets up from James's side. “See you later – gay boy,” he says softly to his brother.

Teddy doesn't even wait until Al is out of sight before throwing himself on his knees at James's side. “James, I'm sorry.”

“I let you,” James says, trying to shrug as if it doesn't matter, and not meeting Teddy's eyes as he does so.

“I just outed you to your family,” Teddy says, putting his hand on James's knee tentatively. “You. Me. Us.”

“Yeah?” James meets his eyes for a fraction of a second. “Did they...?” He stops, as if he doesn't even know how he wants to finish the sentence.

“I'm still alive. I'm not very popular,” Teddy admits. “Rightly so,” he adds grimly. “You should have told me to fuck off years ago.”

“Tempting though the prospect was,” James says, “you might have listened.”

Teddy winces. He probably would have done. “Jamie, I'm a shit,” he says. “Al's right. But... oh fuck it, I love you, and since I just announced _that_ to your entire family as well, maybe I ought to tell you, too. If you'll forgive me for -”

“You said...” 

James is looking at Teddy with wide brown eyes, and Teddy wonders how he could have been so dense for so long and not realised how James felt about him... how he felt about James. He might owe Al a debt of gratitude, he acknowledges to himself – though perhaps he'll leave that to Scorpius Malfoy to deliver. James's hand slips over Teddy's – half-shyly, so different from the usual, brash James, who goes in and demands.

“I love you. Yeah. Probably should have told you first, right?” Teddy says, risking a smile.

The smile he gets in return warms him right through. “It's more usual,” James says. “But since when did we do usual?” He shifts a little bit closer to Teddy, and Teddy pulls him into his arms. It's amazing, the way he fits – the way he's always fitted there. “Love you too,” he mumbles into Teddy's neck.

“Forgive me for being an arse?”

James keeps his face buried in Teddy's neck as he mumbles. “Forgive you anything. Just don't tell anyone I ever said something like that, okay? Ruin my rep.”

“I think I just had mine ruined by being monstered by your little brother,” Teddy says, half-rueful. “'Newsflash: Experienced Auror No Match For 16 Year Old Hufflepuff.'”

James looks up at this and grins. “Seventeen next month. And to be fair, Al's fucking scary,” he says. “I've always wondered what he threatened the Hat with to keep himself out of Slytherin.”

Teddy snorts. “Oh well. He's got Scorpius to keep him in order.” He raises an eyebrow. “And yes, possibly you were on to more than you knew with that. Malfoy's face when I announced I was dating a Potter was an interesting spectacle.”

“Oh? Oh...” James says, as he gets it. He gives a cackle, much more like his normal self than Teddy could possibly have hoped for. “Classic. I'm never letting Al live it down.”

“Um,” says Teddy meaningfully. Because it's not like Al doesn't have something on James now. And as the other half of that particular equation, Teddy isn't sure that baiting Albus is the best idea James has had lately.

“You think he won't use that anyway?” James asks, not pretending not to know what Teddy means.

“Fair point,” Teddy admits. 

The brothers live for teasing each other, but as today has shown more than any other, there's a lot more behind it than mere sibling rivalry. It's their way of showing love – embarrassing and not for the faint of heart, but then they're Potter-Weasleys. Teddy had never realised up until today what that particular combination of genetics might mean. Even though, as Harry's godson, he's always been treated as part of the family, somehow he's never been part of it quite in the same way he is now. 

“I can kiss you,” James says, suddenly.

Teddy gives a little snort of laughter. “And that's new?”

“No. Yes. I mean, I can just – kiss you. When I want to.” There is a new note in James's voice, one Teddy never realised was missing because he never had a chance to hear it – never allowed James the chance to let it through. Instead of the light amusement which usually lurks behind everything James says – that mask again, Teddy realises, suddenly – there is an excitement, a sincerity. The same that Teddy has experienced when James is too turned on to extemporise, to fake casualness. “Teddy,” he says, and the aching love is so bloody clear that Teddy is ashamed all over again.

“Yes,” Teddy says, and vows to spend the rest of his life making James sound just like this. At least, when he's not kissing him, that is.

Which he is now.

He kisses James, and right at this moment, nothing else matters at all.


End file.
